Bulwer's Petrel vs Northern Fulmar
Bulweria bulwerii compared with Fulmarus glacialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bulwer's Petrel | Northern Fulmar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bulweria bulwerii | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Order | Procellariiformes | Procellariiformes |
| Family | Procellariidae | Procellariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 47.0 cm (18.5 in) |
| Wingspan | 40.6 cm (16.0 in) | 107.0 cm (42.1 in) |
| Weight | 103.16666666666667 g (3.64 oz) | 750.0 g (26.46 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Fish, squid, crustaceans, offal from fishing vessels, and zooplankton. Feeds by surface-seizing and shallow plunge-diving. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Bulwer's Petrel
Northern Fulmar
A nasal, cackling 'kak-kak-kak-kak' or grunting 'uh-uh-uh' at the nest and colony. Less melodic than petrels. In flight gives occasional single nasal calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bulwer's Petrel
Northern Fulmar
North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Breeds from the Arctic south to Britain, France, and New England.
Conservation Status
Bulwer's Petrel
Northern Fulmar
How to Tell Them Apart
Bulwer's Petrel
Northern Fulmar
Yellowish hooked bill with prominent tubular nostrils on top
About These Birds
Bulwer's Petrel
26–28 cm, wingspan 68–73 cm. All-dark chocolate-brown with long wedge-shaped tail; pale diagonal wing-bar. Breeds subtropical Atlantic and Pacific islands; migrates to tropical oceans. Buoyant, weaving flight close to water. Feeds on squid and fish at night.
Northern Fulmar
The northern fulmar is a long-lived seabird that can survive over 40 years. It defends its nest by projectile-vomiting a foul-smelling stomach oil at intruders, which can mat the feathers of predators and cause fatal loss of waterproofing. Fulmars have expanded their breeding range dramatically southward over the past two centuries.